


The Letter

by Seal_in_Cyberspace



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bumbleby - Freeform, Canon-Typical Violence, Crying, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Bees, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Swearing, Trigger Warning for said violence, attempted strangulation, past trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2020-10-13 02:09:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20574710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seal_in_Cyberspace/pseuds/Seal_in_Cyberspace
Summary: Raven left when Yang was very young. She barely remembers her mother; all she knows is what she's heard from her Uncle, or her Dad- and of course, who could forget the betrayal at Haven?...Maybe betrayal is the wrong word. After all, the only thing Yang has ever expected from her mother is disappointment.





	1. One of Many

“Hey, you.”

Yang smiles as she feels a finger tilt her chin upwards, and she lets her head fall against the back of the couch. She meets the amber-gold eyes of her partner who is standing right behind the couch as the faunus leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead. “Hey, baby.” Yang responds, “I was wondering where you were.”

“I was out with Weiss.” Blake says, and then she walks through the door to their bedroom- presumably to change out of her mission clothes- closing the door gently behind her. 

After a minute, Yang asks, “What’d you have to deal with this time?” not bothering to raise her voice despite the door that now separates them, knowing that the faunus is still capable of hearing her.

“A small pack of beowolves.” Blake calls, and Yang hears a small chuckle, “It didn’t take us very long.”

“Well, of course not. They were dealing with _the _Blake Belladonna.” Yang says with a small smirk right as the door opens again, and Blake rolls her eyes as she walks out. 

“You’re a dork.” she says softly, sitting down beside her fiancée, Yang’s bionic arm immediately wrapping around her shoulders.

“You _love _me though.”

“That I do.” Blake smiles, but then it falls, and she looks down at her lap. When Yang glances down, she sees an envelope held tightly in one of the faunus’ hands. Before she even has a chance to ask, Blake whispers, “There was a letter for you in the mailbox.”

Blake’s holding it face-down, so Yang isn’t able to see who had sent it to her. But she knows. Of _course _she knows. Who else would send her a random letter out of no where? She grits her teeth, letting out a slow, shaky breath. Despite that, she asks, “Who’s it from?” _Hoping against hope._

Blake looks up from the letter in her lap, meeting Yang’s eyes with a frown. “You know who it’s from, Yang.”

The blonde glances away, but the faunus catches a glimpse of her eyes for a split second beforehand, witnesses the way they immediately burn crimson instead of their usual violet. Blake’s eyes fall to Yang’s lap and she spots the girl’s clenched fist. With her free hand, she reaches over and intertwines their fingers. “Yang-”

“Throw it away.”

Blake opens her mouth to say something but stops herself. Instead she says, “This is the 8th letter.”

“I don’t care.” Yang seethes, “She made her choice a long time ago.”

“Yang, look at me,” Blake says calmly, and Yang does, “You know Raven better than I do, but don’t you think she would’ve stopped trying by now if she didn’t want you to respond?” The blonde looks a little taken aback for a moment, but then her frown changes from one of anger to one of sadness. Blake squeezes her hand reassuringly. It only takes a few seconds of eye contact with the faunus to calm Yang down. The next time she blinks her eyes open, they’ve returned to their usual violet. “I’m sorry. This isn’t my business. I’m not trying to tell you what to think, Yang,” Blake adds, “Look, in the end, this is your decision completely. I… can leave you alone for a bit if you’d like-”

“No!” Yang says a bit too quickly, “No, stay, _please.” _She grips Blake’s hand a little tighter. “You being here helps me think.”

Blake raises an eyebrow at the statement, a small smile pulling at her lips, “I’m glad my presence is pleasant for you.”

“I wouldn’t have accepted your proposal if it wasn’t.” Yang points out, then she sobers up slightly, muttering, “I… I really don’t know what to do, Blake.”

The short-haired woman’s smile falls, and she glances down at their hands again. “I wouldn’t _either _if I was in your place.” she says slowly, “I know it takes a lot for you to trust someone, and for good reason. I _also _know how difficult it was to regain that trust after leaving you, but for it to be your _mother _that left…” she meets Yang’s eyes again, “I just want you to be happy, Yang. Whether that means cutting all ties with Raven or trying to make something of that maternal relationship she ruined is up to you. I’m… _really _in no place to say, especially after everything I put you through.”

“It was different with you.” Yang replies, “I couldn’t bring myself to hate you because I loved you too much. And once you filled in the missing pieces about everything that happened at the fall of Beacon, I understood why you left. Obviously it hurt that you _did, _but I’m not going to lie and say I wouldn’t do the same to protect you.” her brow furrows, “But with Raven… I never really knew her. My only real memory of her was finding out that Summer wasn’t my birth mother, and that my _actual _mother left when I was too young to even remember her. Everything I knew about her was from Qrow telling me stories about her, and I always found myself hating the woman he talked about. It certainly doesn’t help that the few times I _have _seen her, she’s done nothing to change my opinion. In fact, she made me hate her more, I mean, who the hell agrees to let their daughter take on the burden of fighting someone who’s immortal?” Yang sighs, “Part of me wants to forgive her, because she’s my mother, but blood isn’t everything. No real mother would leave their daughter like that.”

Blake furrows her eyebrows further, watching her own thumb draw calming circles across the back of Yang’s hand. “Well,” she says slowly, “Think about it this way. If she were to die tomorrow, would you regret throwing the letters away?”

Yang’s breath hitches, and then there’s a pause. Blake immediately fears that she overstepped, so she glances up at her fiancée’s face again, only to see that the blonde’s eyes never left their hands. Blake’s heart drops when she witnesses a single tear slide down Yang’s face. “Yes.” she finally answers, “Yes, I would regret it.”

“Then… there’s your answer.” Blake says softly, “At least this way you’ll know what will happen, right? Even if it doesn’t end up working out, you’ll know that you both tried, and you’re just… not compatible.”

Yang meets her eyes, and nods slightly, “Yeah,” she squints her eyes shut, “Yeah, you’re right.”

Blake smiles, reaching forward with her free hand to wipe away Yang’s tear. She picks up the letter in her lap, holding it out to the brawler. Yang takes a deep breath, then takes it from her. “I’ll be there for you for the whole journey, Yang.”

Yang smiles. “I know you will.”


	2. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I was involved with the wrong people. Still am, and that won’t ever change. Someone threatened to take her life, and I didn’t feel like letting my daughter get killed because of my business. Hmm… sound familiar?”
> 
> ~
> 
> Raven threatens Blake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for this chapter came from art by the lovely @kusnilive on tumblr!

_ "I just don't know what to say." _

Blake sighs into the scroll, but she gets it. She isn't sure if she'd know what to say to someone after they left her. Hell, when she first saw Yang again at Haven, her mind had blanked and she'd only been able to choke out the girl's name. She has no idea how she would have even been able to think straight long enough to write to her partner, let alone to write to a parent that left not long after you were born. Yang's been trying to write this letter for a week, and there's been no further ones from Raven. "What do you have so far?"

_ "I've been staring at a blank sheet of paper for like an hour, Blake. I'm just... kind of lost." _

"You want my opinion?" Blake asks solemnly, keeping her eyes forward as she walks down a quiet side street, her free hand gripping loosely on the strap of her gym bag so it doesn’t fall off her shoulder. Earlier, she had decided to give Yang some time to think, and the gym had been the only place she could think of to go. There was the library, of course, but she knows she wouldn’t have been able to focus on the words written across the pages, no matter how interesting. Her mind would just wander back to her fiancée worrying at home, and her focus would be thrown out the window.

_ "Please." _

"Tell her the truth. Tell her how finding out about her made you feel; or how betrayed you felt when she allowed you to take the burden of the relic without a fight." Blake says, a small bit of distaste accidently slipping into her tone, but she takes a small breath to calm herself, "Look, just- be honest. When it was me, I know you didn't want to hurt my feelings, despite what I did to you; despite the fact that I wanted you to, but she deserves to know the pain she caused.” 

_ “I know, but I don’t want to-” _There’s silence on the other end of the line for a moment, and Blake’s eyebrows furrow in concern. 

“Yang?” Suddenly, she hears the line completely cut out, and her eyes widen in surprise. “Wha-” Yang hung up on her? No, there’s no way; she had been in the middle of a sentence. She wouldn’t have just-

Blake stops walking and pulls the scroll away from her ear, and stares at the home screen lighting it up. She’s about to go into Yang’s contact to call her again when she feels a presence at her back. Her grip on her bag tightens ever so slightly, and she starts to turn around- but she doesn’t get to. A hand goes over Blake’s shoulder and grips her jaw tightly. “Ah- _ H-Hey _-”

“Careful, _ Blake _.”

Blake reaches behind herself with one hand but she doesn’t feel anyone behind her, and her eyes widen slightly, “W-Who- the _ hell _are you?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

“I’d say it is,” Blake seethes breathily, her eyes flicking to the side in an attempt to see the lady behind her.

“You know me well enough,” the woman says, and the faunus feels her other hand wrap around her throat- amber-gold eyes widen. “Tell me; how’s your partner doing?” The short haired woman’s heart feels heavy in her chest as a sudden worry takes over her thought process- she doesn’t care if anyone threatens her, but if they start threatening _ Yang _, there’s going to be some problems. Despite that though, she has an idea of what's happening. Blake isn’t stupid, never has been (Although she will admit to making stupid choices in the past). She can put two and two together, and this time is no different. The fact that she hadn’t been able to feel anyone for the brief moment she reached down and behind her meant that this person was either hovering, or the more likely of the two given Blake’s suspicions: they’re coming through a portal. There is only one person that she can think of with a semblance like that, and it would make sense for them to ask about Yang. 

“_ R-Raven _.” Blake chokes out, and the fingers tighten around her neck.

There’s a brief moment of silence before the woman hums. “Smart girl. Yang’s lucky to have a partner like you.”

Blake lets out a sound akin to a scoff, then murmurs, “_ I’m _ the lucky one.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Raven agrees, and the fingers squeeze tighter around her neck- cutting off the faunus’ air supply.

“I-” Blake tries to speak, but she’s unable to. Instead, she raises both of her hands to the one around her neck, gripping it hard in an attempt to pull it off, but to no avail.

“Listen to me,” Raven growls into her ear, “If you do _ anything _ to hurt her, I can promise you that you won’t show up at your friend's door one day.” Blake’s eyebrows furrow. Raven is... Out of _ all _ people; the one that arguably hurt Yang most , and she’s threatening Blake to treat her right? The irony is killing her, along with the loss of breath. “ _ Got _it?”

Blake tries to nod, and Raven must feel it because her hand loosens, allowing Blake to take in the much needed air. She doesn’t let go though, instead she whispers, “How hypocritical of me, right?” she lets out a dark chuckle, “Yang does not know the circumstances; _ why _I left. I never told her father, so it’s unlikely she would have found out.” she sighs, “If you tell her this, I’ll kill you, understand?”

Blake nods again.

“I was involved with the wrong people. Still am, and that won’t ever change. Someone threatened to take her life, and I didn’t feel like letting her get killed because of my business. Hmm… sound _ familiar _?”

The faunus winces, but she ignores the jab, instead firing back with, “But leaving her with that relic that also could’ve lead to her demise just as well is okay, right?”

“You’ve got quite the nerve, I’ll give you that.” Raven grumbles, and Blake feels herself smirk despite the circumstances.

“Just stating the truth, Raven,” she responds, then her voice turns dark, “You have _ no _idea how many times I’ve had someone threaten me. I don’t care that you’re the spring maiden, you don’t scare me.” Blake turns her head slightly, “But; I can promise you that Yang won’t see any harm from my hands. I care about her too much to do that.”

“That’s all I ask-”

“Promise me the same.”

“What?”

“Promise me you won’t hurt her.” Blake explains, “Because the threat stands for you too.”

Another brief silence.

“You have my word.” Raven says stiffly, and she finally removes her hand from around the faunus’ neck.

Blake turns instantly, but Raven’s already gone- and the crimson portal dissipating in front of her. She stares at where it once was for almost a minute before reaching up to her neck and rubbing at the somewhat sore skin. She glances at the ground to find her scroll that she’d dropped during the whole ordeal, and bends down to pick it up once she finds it. She opens up the camera and turns it on herself. Blake sighs. There is a _ high _chance that this is going to bruise, and there will be no way of keeping it from Yang for long. She doesn’t want her fiancée to worry about her though- she already has enough going on.

Then again, would Yang even consider giving Raven another chance if she heard about this? The faunus jumps as her scroll starts to ring in her hand. Yang’s name replaces the camera, lighting up the screen. Blake takes a deep breath and answers the call, “Hey,” she says, “Sorry about that.”

_ “Are you okay?” _

“What? Yeah, of course I’m okay.” Blake replies, a forced chuckle following shortly after.

_ “Blake,” _ Yang sighs, _ “Don’t lie to me. What happened just now?” _

“I-” Blake is about to say _ nothing _again, but thinks better of it. She’s not going to lie to Yang. They promised they’d always be open with each other. “I’ll tell you when I get home.”

_ “Promise?” _

“Yeah,” Blake swallows thickly- this is _ not _ going to go well for Raven at _ all _, not that Blake really gives a damn, “Yeah, I promise."


	3. Calm Before The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a somewhat fluffy chapter before the story gets a bit heavier  
:)

“She  _ what? _ ”

“Yang, please-”

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” Yang seethes, her eyes burning, and her back to her very much concerned fiancée. “She has absolutely  _ no  _ right to dictate  _ anything  _ in my life!”

Blake crosses her arms slowly, frowning at the livid blonde tresses. “I wasn’t going to tell you to calm down.” she says with a sigh, “I just think we need to stop and think about this before blowing it out of proportion.”

“Well, it’s too late,” Yang replies with a shake of her head, “Raven already  _ did  _ that.” then she takes a deep breath, “I’m sorry.  _ I’m sorry _ , I don’t mean to blow up at you, you don’t deserve that.”

“You’re frustrated,” Blake says slowly, taking a step forward as Yang turns around. The faunus rests her hand on her upper arm, her head tilting to the side slightly, “I get it.”

“That doesn’t mean that I should take it out on you.” Yang murmurs, eyes flicking down to Blake’s lips and back to amber-gold as her fiancée steps closer.

“You weren’t,” Blake shrugs, “You’re upset, and I  _ really  _ don’t blame you. It’s a lot to take in. That being said,” Blake dips her head, “I- Yang… it seems like she might’ve been… trying to protect you.”

“ _ Bullshit _ ,” Yang scoffs, “She has _never_ cared about my safety before.”

“I know,” Blake agrees, “But why else would she threaten me?”

“Sick satisfaction?” Yang shrugs, “No clue, but the thing I’m most concerned about is how she knows things about you.” her eyes soften, “Blake, she’s dangerous.”

“I don’t care.” Blake sighs, “I’ve been threatened by too many people throughout my life for it to concern me.  _ You  _ are who I’m worried about right now.”

“I’m fine.” Yang says, and Blake raises a single eyebrow, causing the blonde to avert her gaze. “I’ve been fine without her in my life all these years. I don’t need her now; especially if she’ll pull stunts like this.” Yang’s shoulders sag, “But I still want to talk to her for some reason, and I was  _ so  _ ready to, before this. I’m just…  _ curious.  _ My whole life, I’ve wondered what could make someone up and leave like that. It’s easy to hate her if I don’t know her reasoning, but if she tells me and I  _ get  _ it… I really don’t know what I should do now. But I also have to worry about what she’ll do to  _ you  _ if I don’t respond- I-”

Blake pulls Yang into a hug, and the blonde immediately melts into her, resting her head against the faunus’ shoulder, her arms finding their way around her waist. Blake frowns as she cradles Yang’s head against her- she wishes that she could do more. She hates that this is something Yang needs to go through. Her fiancée has endured more than enough pain already in her life. Yang draws in a shaky breath, and Blake realizes that she’s crying again. She presses a light kiss to the top of her head, then rests her cheek against her temple. “You’re not alone in this, Yang. You _don’t_ _have_ _to do this alone._”

“I know,” Yang murmurs into the crook of her neck, nuzzling her head closer. “I know, and I’m so sorry for dragging you into this.”

“Stop,” Blake whispers back, pulling away enough to look into Yang’s eyes, “We promised to help carry each other’s burdens back when we started dating, remember? I’m keeping my promise.” The faunus leans her forehead gently against hers, “We’ll get through this together.”

Yang exhales a steady breath with a small nod, then closes the distance between them softly, pressing a kiss to her lips. “Thank you.” she says, before leaning in once again. “I…” she pulls back the slightest bit, “I need to clear my head. Can you do me a favour?”

“Of course.” she replies, her hand cupping Yang’s cheek again.

“Take my mind off of it for a little bit.”

Blake smiles.

* * *

“Blake?” The faunus blinks her eyes open slowly, waking up to Yang’s voice. She turns onto her back, her head lolling to the side to see her fiancée staring up at the ceiling with a small frown. Blake hums in acknowledgement, taking in the way the soft light from the sunset outside coming in through the blinds of the window illuminates her face- she can’t help but think that Yang is beautiful. “I think I’m still going to talk to her.”

Blake hums again, “Okay.” she murmurs, then she takes Yang’s hand into hers, “I’m proud of you.”

Soft violet eyes meet amber-gold, and the girl’s lips quirk up at the corner. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Blake smiles back, opting to wrap her arm around Yang’s side, cuddling closer, “You’re brave.”

Yang returns the embrace, folding an arm around Blake’s back, and she gazes into her eyes. “We both are.”

“Oh, hush,” Blake chuckles, “But really, Yang… you’re strong. Stronger than I could ever hope to be. You’re  _ amazing… _ ”

“Didn’t you already tell me that like an hour ago?”

Pink dusts across the faunus’ cheeks, and she lets out a groan, “You can’t help yourself, can you?”

“Not really,” Yang says with a little laugh, “It’s funny. And  _ bonus,  _ it helps me get my mind off of the more...  _ undesirable _ topics.”

Blake sighs, “Hmm… then I’ll allow it…  _ this _ time.”

Yang chuckles, then presses a light kiss to the top of her head. “Thank you,” she says quietly, “For helping me with this.”

Blake chooses not to respond with words, instead leaning up to kiss her. Yang smiles into the contact, the hand she has on Blake’s back moving a little lower, her free hand reaching up to cup her fiancée’s face as Blake shifts so that she’s straddling her. Then, a scroll starts to ring. The blonde groans as Blake pulls back, and the faunus laughs. She glances over at the coffee table, seeing that it’s Yang’s device that’s ringing, although she doesn’t recognize the number. She leans forward and picks it up, then hands it to the woman lying under her. Yang’s eyebrows furrow as she sees it. She doesn’t recognize the number either, but answers it nonetheless. “Hello?” Blake watches as Yang’s eyes slowly widen, and then they make eye contact. The blonde glances towards the bedroom door, her expression going blank. “How the  _ fuck  _ did you get my number?” The next time Yang blinks her eyes open, they’re crimson, and Blake suddenly thinks she knows who’s on the other end of this call. “You expect me to just-- You know what,  _ fine. _ 3 o’clock tomorrow, you got that? No earlier, no later. I have other plans.” 

This time, Blake hears the woman on the other end of the line,  _ “And what might those plans be?” _

“That’s none of your concern.”

_ “I’m trying to make an effort here, Yang.” _

“I’m not going to trust you right off the bat. I don’t know if I’ll  _ ever  _ trust you.”

_ “I figured as much.”  _

Yang lets out a shaky breath, and Blake intertwines her fingers with hers to reiterate that she’s there, and will continue to be. Yang offers her a small smile before looking away again, and curtly ending the call with, “I have things that I need to do. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

After she hangs up, she tosses her scroll back onto the nightstand, and sighs. “Raven?” Blake inquires, although she already knows the answer. 

“Yeah,” Yang groans, “Can we not talk about it, though?”

For a moment, the faunus ponders why Raven had been sending letters if she had ways of getting Yang's number, then realizes that Yang probably would have immediately blocked the number if she knew it was her birth mother. She ultimately decides that it isn't that important. Blake moves a loose strand of blonde hair behind Yang’s ear, and nods. “We don’t have to talk at all.” Yang smirks, raising a single eyebrow. “That’s  _ not  _ what I meant, and you know it.”

“I know, I know.” the blonde smiles, then outstretches her arms, “Cuddle with me?”

Blake rolls her eyes in response, but nonetheless shifts back into her old position of laying beside Yang, letting the taller girl wrap her arms around her waist, and Blake rests a hand against her stomach. “I love you.” Blake whispers, pressing a light kiss to the bare skin of Yang’s chest. The brawler tightens her hold almost imperceptibly, and kisses the top of her head. 

“I love you too.” an exhale, “I guess I have  _ quite  _ the day to look forward to.”


	4. Why?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang and Raven talk. It goes about as well as you'd expect.

Yang can’t remember the last time she was this reluctant to get out of bed. There’s more than one reason for this of course, but the most prominent is her hesitancy to meet her mother. Raven is the last person she would’ve chosen to talk to, but she knows that she should. Her curiosity always gets the best of her, and she knows she’ll just accept her request when it inevitably arises again sometime down the line. 

Yang sighs, her eyes finally opening, and she allows them to readjust to the light seeping in through the blinds. A few seconds later, the bedroom door swings open quietly, and her fiancée meets her eyes with a loving smile. She barely even looks tired. It’s funny actually, because Yang remembers being the ‘morning person’ between the two of them back at Beacon. Yang takes a moment to take in her appearance, and comes to the conclusion that the faunus probably hasn’t been up very long, based on the unbrushed hair, and the fact that she’s still wearing the blonde’s shirt from the night before.

Blake walks over to the bedside, and bends down to press a light kiss to Yang’s lips. “Morning, baby,” she says as she pulls away, “How’d you sleep?”

“_ Fine _; until my heart dropped at the sudden absence of my beloved.”

The short haired woman rolls her eyes, a small laugh escaping her lips as she takes a seat on the bed beside Yang. “I wanted to let you sleep in a bit.”

“How _ sweet _of you.” the blonde says with a little smirk as she licks her lips, her eyes falling back to Blake’s mouth. 

“Really?” the faunus says sarcastically, “Flirting at 10 am?”

“Is there a specific time for flirting?” Yang asks, raising an eyebrow, “Because if so, I may have broken that rule _ quite _a few times since we’ve started dating.”

Blake laughs, and leans down to press a light kiss on her forehead. When she pulls back, her smile isn’t as wide, and Yang knows what she’s going to ask before it even leaves her lips. “What did you and Raven agree on last night?”

Yang sighs, “She- rather _ bluntly- _ told me that she’d use her semblance to get here. Which is great and all, but it made me think about how she could’ve done that at _ any _ point throughout my _ whole _ life… _ Really _ makes me wonder why she’s so keen on doing it _ now _.”

Blake frowns; _ admittedly _ , she’d been thinking about the same thing. The truth of the matter is that they have no idea. Raven _ could _ very well have ulterior motives, but the only way they’ll find out is if Yang goes through with the meeting. There’s always a chance that she’s being genuine, of course, but they don’t know. “So, she’s just going to randomly come through a portal into our house?” Blake asks, and Yang winces at the realization, but nods nonetheless. “ _ Wonderful. _”

“I’ll tell her to never do it again,” Yang aquises, “Because, _ yeah… _ we _ really _ don’t need her dropping in at random.” Blake bites her lip, a slow smile slowly making its way onto her face. “ _ What?” _the blonde asks, her smile a little reluctant.

“Nothing,” Blake chuckles, “_ Nothing, _I agree.” then she stands up, running her hand gently across Yang’s side as she does so. “If you’re feeling up to it,” Blake adds, “I made some breakfast.”

Yang grins, “When have I _ ever _turned food down?”

* * *

“Any ideas?” Yang smiles as she leans against the stove (that’s off), glancing over at her to meet the woman’s amber-gold eyes over the top of her mug. 

The faunus tilts her head to the side playfully, her smirk pressed against the rim of her own glass as she replies, “We could go to the park after dinner? You know, just lay under the stars for old time’s sake.”

“_ Ooooh _ ,” Yang hums, “I _ love _the way you think, Mrs. Xiao Long.”

Blake quirks an elegant eyebrow upwards, “Oh, I wasn’t aware that I’m taking your last name.”

Yang shrugs, “Well,” she quips innocently, “It kind of has a nice ring to it, don’t you think? _ Blake Xiao Long _.”

Blake smiles slyly as she places her glass down on the marble in front of her, then counters, “_ Yang Belladonna _ sounds pretty good too, in my opinion.”

Yang’s heart flutters, and her breath catches in her throat. It’s still a little unreal that they’re getting married sometime in the near future, but she could never regret accepting Blake’s proposal. She can’t deny how drawn she is to Blake taking her last name and vice versa, but at the same time, she’s never really liked the idea of marriages erasing one of the names from the bloodline. She _ does, _ however, realize that there’s another option. “...What about _ Belladonna-Xiao Long _? I… kind of like that better.” she gazes softly at her partner, “Blake and Yang Belladonna-Xiao Long.”

Blake smiles, her own expression softening. “I think…” she places her elbow on the counter and leans forward as she motions with her head for Yang to come closer, and the blonde does- leaning across the top, their faces a few inches apart. She smirks. “I think that sounds _ perfect _.” she says, closing the small gap between them with a lingering kiss.

Yang pulls back with a little grin a few seconds later, her hand going up to rest on Blake’s shoulder. She leans forward to place one more peck on her lips before stepping back with a small sigh. She places her empty mug in the sink, and then meets Blake’s eyes briefly, “I’m glad that’s settled then,” she chuckles, “But, back to our original topic- I’m okay with going to the park after dinner.” 

Blake nods, “Alright.” she says, “Sounds like a plan.” then she hesitates, “Yang?”

Yang hums.

“Do you… want me to be here? When…”

_ Oh. _ Yang’s shoulders fall, “Um… Maybe- maybe at the beginning, but I don’t… I kind of want to be alone with her for a bit. To test the waters. _ But, _ I would really enjoy you scaring her a little bit.”

“Okay.” Blake smiles reassuringly, “Then _ maybe _I will.”

Breakfast has long since been eaten; the dishes already cleaned and dried. Conversation flows so easily between them that it only feels like it’s been half an hour, but in reality, it’s been about 4 hours since Yang had woken up. She feels dread wash over her as she glances at the clock only to see the hands pointing at 2:40. She’s nervous. She still has absolutely _ no _clue what she’s going to say to Raven when she gets here, and Blake must see the sudden shift in her demeanor, because she’s standing up from the stool she’d been sitting on and walking over to her side, a comforting hand coming up to rest against Yang’s hip. “Everything’s going to be fine.” she says slowly, a small smile pulling at her lips- determined to chase away her fiancée’s anxiety. 

Yang returns the smile, but she can’t say that she’s as confident about it as she’s letting on. “Thank you.”

“There’s no need,” Blake hums as as she shakes her head, pressing one last kiss to Yang’s lips before letting her hand fall; then she walks over to the door. “I’m going to go get dressed okay?”

Yang nods, smiling after her as she goes. The blonde grips at the edge of the counter as her gaze falls with a sigh. She wishes that she had something to do so that she wouldn’t just have to wait around for 20 minutes, but she’s at a loss. She leans heavily against the counter and glances around the interconnected living room and kitchen of their home, letting her eyes fall upon a picture frame on top of the mantle of the fireplace. 

The picture of the team was taken by Nora as they were messing around at the beach one day a few months ago. Weiss and Ruby are on the left; the younger of the two splashing her partner as the ex-heiress smiles, trying to block herself from the water despite the fact that she’d already been submerged in the liquid from head to toe earlier, and the splash would be no different. Yang and Blake were farther back and to the right. They were both laughing, Yang’s hands- one bionic, one flesh- curled gently around Blake’s thighs to lift her into the air, the faunus’ arms resting loosely on her shoulders, and their foreheads pressed together. Any outsider would be able to tell how happy they were, and it doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise either. She feels one of her lips quirk upwards as she recalls the day the picture was taken. It was the day Blake proposed to her. It’s still somewhat of a surreal memory. What are the odds, really, of loving someone _ so _much, and having them feel the same way back?

Her and Blake first started dating a few weeks before they had to take Salem on, and have been together ever since. Since then, they’ve been deemed full fledged huntresses, and continue to work as such. Even with Salem gone, the grimm pose a threat to civilians. It’s not like they expected them to just _ disappear, obviously _, but they definitely didn’t realize they’d be so busy with them all the time. Team RWBY still works together to this day, sometimes going off in partners instead of as a whole as Blake and Weiss had yesterday, but nevertheless, together. They’ve already had a hiatus once, and their memories of that time are miserable, so it’s not something that they’re keen on doing again. 

She’s snapped out of her thoughts as she hears Blake coming back down the stairs, and looks her up and down absently as she comes back into the room. The faunus has thrown on a loose purple t-shirt that hangs off of one shoulder, and black jeans that are tight to the curves of her body. Blake smirks as she catches Yang’s eye, tilting her head enticingly. “What?” She asks knowingly.

“Nothing,” Yang parrots, “You look nice.”

Her partner raises an eyebrow, “I always dress like this.”

“And you always look _ nice _. Your point?”

The faunus shakes her head again, “You’re so…” she trails off, her eyes shifting to something behind Yang- a scowl replacing the soft smile that had been pulling at her lips. 

Yang tenses as she turns, following her fiancée’s line of sight. She sees the telltale beginning of one of Raven’s portals, and steels her nerves. She turns back to Blake as she feels her eyes uncontrollably flood crimson, and Blake looks back at her too. She grasps Yang’s bionic hand that will be out of her mother’s view tightly to help ground her, also stepping out of view herself- blocked by a wall. Yang’s eyelids fall as she hears the heels of Raven’s boots step against the hardwood floor. After a tense moment, Yang lets out a deep breath. “What did I say about being early?” she says, her voice low; almost _ unrecognizable. _

“5 minutes is a minuscule difference.” 

“But a difference nonetheless,” Yang responds as she turns to face her. She feels her heart clench. Here’s the woman who left her at birth, standing in the middle of her kitchen. Yang’s admittedly conflicted at the sight, and from the line in her mother’s brow, she’s assuming that the older woman feels the same way. “Well,” Yang drawls, “You’re here. So, what do you want?”

Raven merely raises an eyebrow, “I thought I’ve already made my intentions clear.”

“_ Oh _ ,” Yang laughs, the sound sending chills down Blake’s spine. Raven still doesn’t know of the faunus’ presence, and she wonders how the woman’s demeanor would differ if she did. “I think you’ve made your intentions _ anything _ but clear, Raven. Your letters always said that you wanted to get to know me, to become a part of my life, but then you went and threatened one of the people I care the most about. So, I’m _ sorry _ if I’m a little standoffish, but _ no one _threatens my friends or family and comes out of it unscathed.”

Raven sighs, “Blake doesn’t have anything to do with this-”

“She has _ everything _ to do with this!” Yang replies, her voice raising, “I won’t let you anywhere near _ either _of us if you’re going to treat her like that!”

Raven stares at her blankly for a moment, and then her gaze falls to the ground. Sheepishly, she murmurs, “I just want you safe.”

“Like you give a _ fuck _about my safety!” Yang scowls, “Where was that concern when I was a baby, huh? Or when I took the relic?”

“How about the time I saved your _ life _ ?” Raven counters, and Yang’s shoulders sag, “I’m a _ terrible _ mother. I _ get _ it. I’m not the best at showing that I care for someone, but I’m _ trying.” _

“Why now?” Yang asks, “I’m 24, Raven. Where has this effort been throughout those other years?”

The sharpness on the woman’s features fades, and Yang offhandedly notices the glossiness of her eyes, “I…” Raven stutters, “I’m sorry.”

Yang’s eyes transition back to violet, her own jaw unclenching. “Sorry isn’t going to cut it, Raven.”

“I know.” the spring maiden admits, “But I’ll do whatever I need to, because I _ do _want to be in your life, Yang. I really do.”

“You never answered my question,” Yang points out, “Why now?”

“Salem’s no longer a threat.” the woman shrugs, “So I no longer have any faulty reason to cower away from talking to you.”

Yang stares at her mother for a minute. Raven’s _ scared _ . She’s as nervous about this as Yang is. There’s _ no _way that Yang’s going to give in easily, but she decides to be a little easier with her. She needs to give her a chance to talk if she wants to decide if she’s going to trust her or not. With a sigh, she glances back towards the living room. “You’re…” she meets Raven’s eyes again, “You’re… you know what? Just sit down,” she says stiffly, “Do you want anything?”

Raven appears to relax a little bit, “No. I’m fine. Thanks.”

Yang tilts her head towards the couch and her mother nods. The blonde feels Blake grip her hand a little tighter for a moment before pulling away, using her semblance to get into the kitchen where Raven had been before the older woman can see her move, not wanting to let her know that she’d been there throughout the whole conversation. Yang walks into the living room herself, sitting on the other couch once she gets there. She lets Raven look around on her own, notices the way an eyebrow raises when her line of sight lines up with the picture Yang had been reminiscing of before. “Your team… is very _ close _.”

“We are,” Yang nods, deciding not to bring up the double meaning despite the fact that she knows exactly _ what _caught the older woman’s attention in that photo. “They’re like family to me.”

Raven hums, keeping her eyes on the photo. Eventually, she adds, “You look happy.”

Yang smiles despite herself, “That’s because I _ am. _”

Something finally draws Raven’s attention away from the frame- the sound of a glass being placed on the shelf in the kitchen. Blake could have done that as silently as she wanted to, but she chose to make herself known. Yang watches Raven’s eyes go round at the sight of her. Neither of the two in the living room can see her face due to the way she’s facing, but she’s adorning a proud smirk. Blake, knowing the impact that little sound had on the older woman’s composure, slowly turns, leaning against the counter effortlessly. Amber-gold meets red, and Blake’s lips quirk up the slightest bit more, “It’s nice to see you again, Raven.” she drawls sarcastically, a dark edge to her voice similar to the one in Yang’s before. 

Raven glances back at Yang, “Why is she-”

“Here?” Blake cuts her off, “Because this is _ my _house.”

Yang smirks, “Is there a problem?” she asks.

“You two live together?” Raven asks slowly.

“Yes.” Yang answers, “I’ve heard that it’s common practice to live with your fiancée.”

The brawler can pinpoint the _ exact _moment that her words register in her mother’s mind, not just because of the sharp intake of oxygen either, but from the way her skin drains of all colour. 

“_ Fiancée _.” she sighs, “A… a lot of things are suddenly making sense.”

“I’m sure,” Blake drawls, then glances at Yang, “I’m going out with Sun. I’ll be back in a bit, baby.”

Yang nods gratefully, and Blake smiles softly back at her for an ephemeral moment. Then, her eyes fall back on Raven. “Remember our _ talk, _ yeah?” she says curtly, “Because I won’t _ hesitate _to do just as I promised.”

Yang’s delighted to see Raven falter for a second before she nods. Blake smiles with mock sweetness before exiting the room, and the house. Her mother stares after her, until Yang finally says, “There’s a story there.”

“For another time.” Raven clears her throat, turning back to Yang, “We have other things to discuss.”

“Like?”

“Other than the fact that you’re marrying _ her; _I want to get to know you.”

Yang raises an eyebrow, “Marrying the love of my life, you mean? Blake is the only person I can see by my side for the rest of my years.” she leans her elbow against the armrest of the couch, the side of her face resting against the knuckles of her clenched fist, she then furrows her brow in faux understanding, “_ Actually _ , I can see why that’s so unsettling to you, _ considering. _”

Raven frowns, but makes no move to deny Yang’s subtle-not-so-subtle accusation. “I’ve made bad decisions.” she chooses to say.

“I wasn’t aware.” her daughter chides sarcastically.

“You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”

“I didn’t realize you deserved ease. My bad.”

“At least I’m _ trying. _” Raven spits back, “Someone who doesn’t care wouldn’t have came back after leaving!”

“A mother who ‘_ cares’_ wouldn’t _ leave _in the first place.”

“The same can’t be said for your partner though, can it?” the black-haired woman snaps, and Yang’s mouth falls open as her eyes widen, “You have double standards.”

Suddenly, there’s a clash of crimson as Yang’s vision goes red. “Don’t you fucking _ dare _bring her into this!” The blonde fights the urge to stand; to tower above her mother. “She was trying to keep me safe! She may have gone about it the wrong way, but-”

“And what makes me so different?” Raven inquires, and Yang feels her restraint dwindling dangerously thin.

“She is _ nothing _ like you.” the younger of the two seethes, “So don’t even _ try _ to play that card with me, Raven! You didn’t leave to protect me; to protect _ us. _ I don’t care how dangerous you think your acquaintances were. Leaving a defenseless baby that has your blood isn’t going to make it any fucking safer! You _ left _because you were scared. You were afraid, you weren’t ready for a baby, and you tried convincing yourself that leaving would make me safer, when in reality all it did was break 2 hearts in the long run!” Yang pauses for a moment, “But if there’s one good thing that came out of you leaving, it was Ruby. I guess I should be grateful.”

Raven’s frown morphs into a scowl, “I wasn’t scared.”

“_ Yes, _ you were!” Yang says flamboyantly, “And I don’t blame you for that. _Anyone_ would be scared for their first child, Raven. _ I’m _ scared for my _ mine _ whenever Blake and I decide to move forward with that. But that does _ not _ mean that I’ll run when it gets tough, and neither will she, so don’t even _ bother _ trying to stoop that low again. You chose to deal with it the wrong way.” she sighs, “I’m not judging you for _ being _ scared. I’m judging you for how you _ dealt _ with the _ feeling _ of fright.” Raven stays silent, so Yang continues, “I _ want _ to understand you. I _ want _ to get to know the real you. The one dad cared for. I _ want _ to let you back into my life.” the brawler tries to contain herself, tries to stop the tears from falling, but she’s overly aware of how miserably she’s failing. “But I don’t _ trust _ you, Raven. I don’t _ know _ how you’ll be if I let myself have that connection with you. I don’t _ want _ to open myself up just to have my heart torn apart again. So, no. I’m not going to give in right away. I may _ never _ give in if I don’t like what I see. You have to prove yourself to me- and you can ask _ anyone, _ that’s _ not _an easy task.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes,” Raven replies, her own voice cracking as she attempts to stifle her crying, “I made a huge mistake, Yang, and I’m owning up to that. I want to make it right.”

Yang takes a deep breath, “If you’re as serious as you’re letting on,” she says slowly, “Then _ fine. _ Explain your reasoning for leaving.”

Raven glances to the side, a sigh spilling from her lungs, “I…” her eyes slip shut, “You’re right, okay? _ You’re right _ . I was scared. And I… I did really care about your father, but I never really mentioned the tribe to him before. He found out about that long after I ran. I didn’t want him to get dragged into my business. I never thought about how he’d feel. How _ you _ would feel. So I just… _ left. _After you were born, I left. I had a lot of weight on my shoulders, a lot of enemies. The last thing I wanted was for him to get hurt.”

“Yet you hurt him anyway.”

“I didn’t _ want _ to!” Raven admits, “I wanted him safe! And guess what, Yang? He _ has _ been. Because _ I’m _not there.”

“He loved you,” Yang whispers, “How could you? _ How? _ You _broke_ him. Losing you made him _ so _ depressed. So much so that Summer had to step in and help take care of me, because he ended up breaking down _every_ time he looked at me, because all he could see was _ you _ . He finally started to bounce back when him and Summer got together, but then… losing her _ too_ pushed him over the edge, Raven. I might as well of had no father growing up. He was always drunk, he didn’t _ care _ anymore. I had to raise Ruby on my own. He eventually came around, obviously.” Yang meets her mother’s eyes, “When I was _ 12 _.”

“I-”

“He has done _ everything _in his power to make it up to me over the years. Before you ask, _yes_, I forgave him, and honestly? The guy’s probably the best father in the world. I just wish that I got to see that side of him sooner.”

“Summer’s death was not _ my _fault.” Raven murmurs.

“And I never said it was,” Yang replies, “But him not being able to look me in the eyes for _years_?” the blonde nods slowly, and she feels herself choking up, “That… that _ was _your fault.”

Raven’s mouth falls open, “I’m-” she shakes her head, “I-I’m _ so _sorry.”

Yang shrugs, “It is what it is,” she whispers, “I already had to live through it. Thanks for that.”

Raven leans forward, a hand reaching out, “Yang-”

“I think it would be best for you to leave,” Yang says tiredly, eyes red once again, “I-I need some time.” When Raven continues to be silent, Yang adds, “Do you know the park that’s down the street from here?”

“I… do, yes.” 

“Meet me there at 4, two days from now.” she says, “Being in public would be safest. For both of us.”

Yang’s met with another silence, and after a few seconds, she glances up at the other couch. She’s met with the sight of an empty space, and she just stares. A moment later, the dam bursts, Yang’s head falling to her hands as she lets out a loud sob. A half an hour later, her fiancée returns and finds her in the exact same spot. Without a word, she takes her into her arms, cradling her head tightly against her chest. Yang wraps her own arms tightly around her in response, tears spilling out onto Blake’s shirt, but the faunus could care less. “I-I’m s-sorr-”

“No,” Blake responds softly, cutting Yang off, “This is what I’m here for. Let it out… I’m here, okay?”


	5. First and Foremost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake makes sure Yang knows she isn't alone.

2 hours have passed, and they have yet to move. Although Yang stopped crying a while ago, she still wanted to be close to her fiancée, and it’s not like Blake would ever deny her that closeness. They ended up lying on the couch together, Yang with her head atop the faunus’ chest, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Blake had returned the embrace without hesitation, resting her chin atop her head.

In the present, Blake sighs. “We can reschedule if you’re not feeling up to it,” she murmurs into her hair softly, rubbing calming circles into Yang’s back, “Your well being is more important to me than a date, Yang. Especially one that neither of us would be capable of enjoying.”

The brawler shakes her head subtly without lifting it. “I don’t want to reschedule. I  _ want  _ to go out with you.”

“Are you sure?” Blake asks quietly, “Because I understand completely if you don’t want to. You had a very emotionally draining conversation today.”

Yang pulls back slowly, violet meeting gold, and she smiles. “I’m okay, moonlight.  _ Really.  _ I’m not going to let her control my decisions.”

Blake hums, then presses a light kiss to the tip of her nose. “As long as you’re sure.”

“I am,” Yang smiles, nudging her forehead against Blake’s, “Don’t worry.”

“I doubt you could stop me,” Blake replies with a small laugh, “I’ll always worry about you.”

“Fair enough,” Yang shrugs, “Considering it’s the same for me regarding you.”

Blake pecks her lips gently before pulling back and rubbing Yang’s upper arm slowly. “So, what do you say we go get ready, then?”

* * *

“This is nice,” Yang murmurs quietly as she cards her hand through Blake’s hair. Her and the faunus are laying on a blanket they’d rolled out on the grass under the setting sun. Blake has her head resting lightly against the taller woman’s chest, her hand clasped lovingly over her abdomen. “It’s been too long since we've done something like this.”

“It has,” Blake agrees, curling closer to Yang’s side. “We’ve been busy.”

“We sure have.” Yang sighs, eyebrows furrowing the slightest bit unconsciously. Blake glances up at her slowly, frowning at the distaste she sees in her lover’s eyes. Yang meets her eyes after a while, and then she’s blushing, glancing away to avoid further embarrassment.

“Hey,” Blake says quietly, raising her hand to cup Yang’s cheek lovingly, drawing her eyes back to hers. “What’s going on in that head of yours, hmm?”

“Nothing,” Yang replies with a shake of her head, expression softening, “This is our night, yeah? The heavier things can wait.”

“It  _ is  _ our night, but I want you to feel at ease.” Blake counters, then sighs, “But I know you don’t feel like talking about it so I’ll leave it alone. I’m here whenever you’re ready, okay?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it with you, I just-” she cuts herself off with a sigh.

“You don’t need to explain yourself to me.” Blake says after a few moments of silence, “Trust me, I know it can take a while to process stuff like that.”

“I... feel like she has ulterior motives.” Yang finally reveals, “I mean, she seems like she  _ genuinely  _ wants to get to know me, but… I don’t know. She seemed like she was holding something back. I just… have no idea  _ what.  _ I’ve talked to her before. I know how she acts- and something was  _ different  _ but I can’t put my finger on it.”

“I understand how you feel,” Blake replies, “On some level anyway. I know what it’s like to have someone act one way for a long time and then just…  _ change.”  _

“The woman’s giving me whiplash,” Yang tries to joke, and she feels a small smile against her skin, “And I think she knows it too. I mean, with everything I’ve grown to expect…” Blake hums knowingly. The road that led them both to this point was… rocky, to say the least. They’ve witnessed and been a part of things that everyone else wouldn’t even be able to  _ imagine.  _ They both have an overwhelming amount of scars, mentally and physically. They’re not the same people as they used to be either. Tactics that would have tricked them in the past no longer have any efficacy over them. Yang supposes that there is one lesson that she learned from Raven. To ask questions. To  _ never  _ take things at face value, because honestly? In this world, things are  _ never  _ what they seem. Pensively, Yang murmurs, “What if… what if she’s expecting something from me? She’s already threatened  _ you  _ once. I don’t know her limits. I don’t know where she draws the line. She’s well aware of my biggest weakness. I mean, what if she’s planning to…  _ Brothers _ , I don’t want her to hurt anyone close to me, Blake.”

“We destroyed an  _ immortal  _ being that had the ability to use magic, and was pretty much in control of our entire existence, Yang.” Blake responds, “Your mother wouldn’t stand a chance against us.”

“If we were all together, no. No, she wouldn’t.” Yang furrows her eyebrows, “But we all have different lives now. Sure, we see each other a lot, but we’re not constantly together like we used to be. If she has malicious intent, nothing is stopping her from knocking on their doors and taking them out when they answer. None of them deserve that just for knowing me. Ren and Nora just welcomed a baby like 3 months ago, Ruby and Penny just moved in together, Weiss just got  _ engaged _ -”

“ _ If  _ she has malicious intent,” Blake repeats, “And Yang, we’ve all been through a lot. We know how to protect ourselves. Once upon a time, Ruby overpowered Cinder, remember? Plus,  _ Weiss  _ is the winter maiden. She’s  _ just  _ as powerful as your mother is.”

“I know, I just…”

“You’re worried.” Blake says as she pushes herself up, rolls so that she’s straddling Yang, and she tilts her head to the side. Yang frowns up at her, hands falling to the faunus’ thighs. “Your selflessness is one of the things I love about you, Yang.” she adds softly, taking one of Yang’s hands into her own, “But right now, you don’t need to worry about all of us, okay? Base your decisions on you, not us, because they will impact  _ you  _ the most. I know that your head is all over the place. I know that you want to make sure  _ we’re  _ alright. But you need to make sure that  _ you’re  _ okay, first and foremost, okay? You’re running yourself into the ground, Yang. At this rate, you’re going to burn out, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Yang knows she’s right, but she can’t help it. “I can’t just stop thinking about-”

“I’m not  _ asking _ you to stop,” Blake cuts in once again, then she gives her fiancée a little smile, “I’m asking you to slow down. Don’t rush yourself. Trust isn’t typically granted lightly. You need time to think about this.  _ All  _ of it. But  _ you  _ need to be your number one priority, yeah?” Yang only stares at her for a moment, but then she lets out a shaky sigh. She offers a little nod in response, and Blake leans down to press a kiss to her forehead. “I love you, Yang. We  _ all  _ do. Never forget that.”

“I don’t think I’d be able to.” Yang says with a small laugh, cupping Blake’s cheek with her free hand, “And I love you too. You  _ know  _ I do.” 

Blake’s smile widens, “You made sure I knew that I wasn’t alone when I was going through a tough time,” she says, “It’s only natural that I do the same for you.”

Yang pulls her down gently, capturing her lips in a soft, light kiss. “I can’t  _ wait  _ to marry you.” she whispers after a moment, and her fiancée smiles against her mouth. 

Blake chuckles, “Hmm… ditto.”


	6. Square One

Blake and Yang had been home for  _ less _ than half an hour.  _ All  _ they wanted was some time alone. That’s  _ literally _ it. Yet somehow, the blonde had a feeling that this would happen. It  _ always  _ does. She has no idea why their luck is so terrible. This has happened two times in a row now.  _ Ugh _ . She pulls back from their kiss reluctantly, and Blake blinks her eyes open shortly after. “My Gods,  _ Fuck off _ .” Yang groans as she feels the insistent buzzing of her scroll in her pocket. From her place astride Yang’s thighs, Blake watches as she pulls the device from her jeans with a small shake of her head- looks up at Yang’s face as she answers it.

“Hey, Weiss. What’s up?” Blake smiles as the blonde rolls her eyes. Yang’s head falls back against the couch as she clearly attempts to stifle another groan, and her fiancée chuckles quietly. “What time?” Yang glances at the clock with a sigh, “Okay. What? No, I’m fine.”

Blake listens carefully for a moment.  _ “You were in the middle of something, weren’t you?” _

Yang bites her lip, “I’ve no idea what you mean, princess.”

_ “Hm… I’m sure. Where’s Blake?” _

“She’s…  _ around _ . Why do you ask?” the blonde replies, her hand still clasped on Blake’s hip- her thumb running circles around the skin there.

_ “Gods, you’re so transparent.” _

Yang laughs into the scroll, and Weiss sighs. “Aww, come on… don’t pretend you’re annoyed. You love us.”

_ “That doesn’t mean I love your libidos.” _

Yang’s eyes widen, “ _ \--Fuck _ ,” she chuckles suddenly, “I did  _ not _ expect that to come out of your mouth.”

_ “Am I wrong in calling it that?” _

“Well,  _ no,  _ I just-” 

Blake cuts her off, leaning forward to speak into the scroll, “You’ve flustered her, Weiss. Good job.”

_ “It doesn’t take much these days, does it?”  _

“Oh, shut up!” Yang groans, “And Weiss, you know me and Blake aren’t that bad.”

_ “No, I really don’t,”  _ There’s a pause,  _ “But  _ ** _please _ ** _ don’t try to prove it to me. Just be ready in an hour, okay?” _

“Okay, okay,” Yang chuckles, “Tell Jaune I said hi.”

_ “I will,” _ Weiss replies, and then a moment later, hangs up.

Merely a few seconds after  _ that,  _ there’s a knock at their door. Yang meets her partner’s eyes, “Were you expecting someone?”

“Um…” Blake shakes her head, “No, I wasn’t.”

The faunus shifts off of her lap, and Yang stands, stretching her arms out above her before walking over to their front door. She unceremoniously swings it open as she runs a hand through her messy hair. She freezes when she sees her uncle standing there. “Uh-” she clears her throat, “Uncle Qrow.  _ Hey.  _ What’s up?”

“I need to talk to you, firecracker.”

“I actually have to leave-”

“You can be a little late,” Qrow cuts her off, giving her a pointed look, “This is important.”

“Okay… I’ll text Weiss then.” Yang murmurs as she pulls out her scroll again, eyebrows furrowing slightly, “Well, uh… come in, I guess?”

“I’m sorry for coming by unannounced,” he drawls, nodding at Blake where she sits on the couch as he steps inside.

“No worries. I’m sure you have your reasons.” his niece replies as she closes the door behind him. “Speaking of- what’s so important that I have to postpone a mission?”

“It’s about Raven.”

Yang’s eyes widen, but then she sighs, “Yeah, I…” she crosses her arms, “I kind of figured. What about her?”

He shoves his hands into his pocket before taking in a deep breath, “She paid Clover and I a little visit this morning.”

“Why?”

“She told me not to tell you any of this.”

“And yet here you are.” Yang points out, “So what the fuck did she say?”

“Someone has been trying to kill her.”

Yang’s shoulders fall, “What?”

“That’s why she wants to talk to you now. Because each of their attempts are getting closer and closer to being successful.”

“...Who is trying to kill her?”

“She doesn’t know.” Qrow shrugs, “She just knows that if they keep trying, they’re eventually going to get her.” 

Yang’s heart suddenly feels like it’s pounding out of her chest. In less than a second, Blake is at her side, resting a reassuring hand on her back. “She’s being hunted…” Yang breathes out, guilt suddenly taking her breath away.

“That doesn’t mean that you should push away your opinion of her when you’re deciding whether you should keep her around you or not.”

“I  _ know,  _ I just…” Yang meets her uncle’s eyes, “What if she dies and I didn’t let her back in-”

“Everything happens for a reason, firecracker.” 

“I know she’s a bad person, but that doesn’t mean that she should  _ die. _ ”

“I… agree.” Qrow sighs, “I  _ do _ , but the Tribe is already trying to neutralize the threat. There’s nothing else we can do.” he scowls at Yang, “And I know you, kiddo. Don’t you  _ dare  _ put yourself in any unnecessary danger.” he turns to her fiancee, “Keep her in line.”

Blake frowns, “She can do what she wants,” the faunus replies, “And I’ll be by her side.”

He glances between them for a moment before raising his hands in front of him to convey innocence, “No, I didn’t mean-” he sighs, “I just want Yang safe. Surely, you can understand that.”

“I do.” Blake nods, “But I also know that if she wants something, you can’t stop her. I know you’re just worried,” the faunus’ gaze drops to the ground, “I do what I can to keep her safe. The same as her for me. You don’t need to worry about us.”

“I just know my sister,” Qrow says quietly, “And I can tell that she’s  _ starting  _ this for the reason that she might not get another chance,” he meets Yang’s eyes again, “But that does  _ not  _ mean that she won’t take  _ advantage  _ of that one chance.” he lets out a final sigh into the silence that surrounds them, “I should get going.”

He steps towards the door, and as his hand rests on the knob, Yang whispers, “Thank you.”

His grip tightens, and his eyebrows furrow, “Yeah, I…” he throws an apologetic glance over his shoulder, “I wouldn’t thank me.”

With that, he’s gone. Blake turns her attention to her partner, and frowns at the blank stare Yang is directing at the closed door. “...Yang?”

“I had things figured out,” she chokes out, “I knew what I was going to do.  _ How  _ I was going to approach it.” her gaze meets the faunus’, “But now I just feel like I’m back to square one.”


	7. Aspen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re a fucking dumbass.”
> 
> Raven tenses, taken aback, “What?”

“Ma’am?”

Raven blinks her eyes open, and raises an eyebrow questioningly at the person standing in front of her, “Yes?”

“May I talk to you for a minute?”

“Well,” Raven scoffs, “You’re here already, aren’t you?” The warrior frowns, and Raven sighs. “Yes, Aspen. You may.” The younger individual allows the curtain to close behind them, stepping further into Raven’s hut. “You should know by now.” green eyes meet hers, “I _ hate _being called ma’am.”

“Mistress, then?” they smirk.

“_ Aspen. _”

“My apologies,” the caramel skinned thief shrugs, “I was taught to address people of higher authority properly.”

Raven hums, “What do you want?”

“Hey, now.” Aspen smiles, “There’s no need to be rude.”

“I thought I was the authority figure here.”

“You _ are _,” her second-in-command replies, “Doesn’t mean that you have to be a bitch to me.”

Raven scowls at them for a moment before breaking the facade, glancing away with a little chuckle, “You’re lucky I like you,” she smiles, “Or I would have thrown you out a long time ago.”

“Don’t give me those empty threats, Branwen.” Aspen smiles, taking a seat in front of her, “Or I’ll tell everyone in this damn Tribe that you’re nice to me.”

Raven rolls her eyes, “What did you come here to tell me, Aspen?”

“...There’s been movement.”

“Movement?” She receives a nod. Red eyes narrow, “How close?”

“Severely.” 

Raven sighs. “_ Fuck _.”

“I agree,” Aspen mutters, running their hand through their dark brown hair pensively, “It seems that every day they’re daring to come closer to our borders. What _ is _ odd though,” they glance towards the exit, “Is that _ none _ of our patrolmen have seen _ anyone. _ They’ve just been finding traces that someone has been there.”

“_ Wonderful. _” Raven groans, then she meets their eyes again, “I have somewhere I need to be tomorrow.”

“Well, tell whoever you’re meeting not to expect your presence anymore.” Aspen replies, “Raven, it’s too dangerous.”

“I can’t just-” the black-haired woman stands, crossing her arms in front of her, “I can’t cancel.”

“You can, and you will.” 

“Aspen-” 

“Do you value your life, or not?” they ask, frowning heavily at the tribe leader, “Because if you step outside these walls, they _ will _get you.”

“I’ll use my semblance. They won’t know that I’ve left.”

“Do you not realize the severity of what I’ve said?”

“Of _ course, _but-”

“Then _ why- _”

“It’s my _ daughter, _ Aspen!” she snaps, and their shoulders fall along with their mouth, surprise overtaking their features. “I can’t cancel on this. _ Not _ with her. I left when she was young and I want to make up for it. I can’t _ do _ that if I _ cancel _.”

Aspen stares at her in disbelief, and then shake their head, reaching up to pinch the bridge of their nose. “You’re telling me,” they meet her eyes, “You’re choosing to meet with the daughter you left _ years _ ago, _ now? _When you have a target on your back?”

“...I want to know her, Aspen.” Raven sighs, “I never gave myself the chance to before, and I may not be able in the future.”

“You’re a fucking _ dumbass _.”

Raven tenses, taken aback, “What?”

“You heard me.” Aspen says, “My parents both left me when I was young- Left me in the streets because they couldn’t understand why I was different.” Aspen scowls at the red-eyed woman, “Parents that leave their children make me want to punch them across fucking Remnant. Good for you for going back and talking to her, but _ why _ did you leave in the first place? And _ why _ did you think that _ now _ would be a good time for this?”

“I left to keep her safe.” Raven replies, “And it’s _ not _a good time for it, but it may be the only time I have left.”

“You left… to keep her safe?” Aspen asks slowly, and Raven nods. “And it’s ‘safe’ when you have assassins after you?”

“Aspen, I don’t have any other _ choice _.”

They cross their arms, gaze still penetrating Raven’s own. After a moment, they sigh- glancing away with gritted teeth. “I know.” They reply, “I _ know. _And I’m aware that it’s not really my business.” Their arms fall, and they step towards the exit, “...Do what you must.” They meet Raven’s gaze, “Just… be careful.”

Raven smirks, “I thought you knew me by now,” Aspen raises an eyebrow, “Careful isn’t exactly in my vocabulary.”

Aspen sighs, a small smile pulling at their lips, “You’re an idiot, you know that?”

* * *

“When did you say you were meeting her again?” Ruby asks, swirling her ice coffee around in its cup slowly.

Yang lets out a little huff, running a hand through her hair. She looks down at her sister as they walk down the busy street. Yang thought it would help her sort things out in her head with a little bit of Ruby’s input, so she’d invited her out for lunch. “Tomorrow.”

Ruby hums, “And you want my _ honest _opinion?”

“Gods, Blake said the same thing,” Yang chuckles, “_ Yes, _Ruby. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t.”

“The reason you finally decided to meet her was because you were scared you’d lose your chance, right?” Yang nods. “Then what does this change?” Yang opens her mouth to respond, but then hesitates. Her sister has a point. What _ does _it change? All it means is that her chance could slip away faster. “I know it probably hurt that she lied to you again, but at least she kind of had a half-assed reason this time. Not to assume-”

Yang snorts at the summarization, but can’t deny it. “No, you’re right. I never doubted my decision to meet up with her.” she says, “It was just kind of unnerving to find out, I guess.” Yang crosses her arms, “Like… I finally gave her a chance to be honest with me. To tell me what _ really _happened all those years ago. To tell me everything she hadn’t before, and I thought she took me up on all that. Then she just…” the blonde sighs, “As I said, unnerving.”

“I get that,” Ruby shrugs, “So… are you going to tell her that you know?”

“I haven’t decided yet.” Yang says quietly, “I mean, on one hand, I _ could, _ and then tell her that I won’t excuse her lying anymore.” she frowns, “But on the other hand, if I _ really _ want to see that she trusts and cares about me… I could wait. Wait to see if she’ll tell me on her own eventually. Both sides obviously have their pros and cons. Waiting could lead to me _ never _ finding out, but confronting her could breach the connection between her and Qrow… it could _ also _scare her away if she just wasn’t ready to mention it to me yet.”

Ruby sighs, “I wish I could help you more, Yang.” she admits, a scowl set heavy on her face, “But I honestly have no idea what I’d do in your place. All I can say is that… I never got the chance. To have that decision, I mean. Salem took my mother away from us before she could even mention the potential danger to dad.” she glances back up at Yang, “With that in my head, all I can say is that you should ask Raven about it before you lose your chance too- but I can see the cons as well. So… I don’t know. It’s up to you.”

“I… I’m sorry, Ruby. I never-” she’s cut off by her scroll buzzing in her pocket. She glances down out of shock, and reaches into her pocket, pulling it out quickly. She frowns when she sees Blake’s name. Blake usually doesn’t bother her if she’s out with someone. She answers the call, raising the scroll up to her ear, “Hello?”

_ “Hey, Yang.” _

“What’s going on?”

A sigh, _ “I know you’re out with Ruby, and I’m sorry to ruin your time, but… would you happen to know anyone by the name of Aspen Bellechâss?” _

“I… don’t think so.” Yang replies, confusion and concern blooming in her chest.

_ “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” _

“Why?”

_ “When I got home, there was a note on the doorstep. It just had a number and a name.” _

“Scroll number?”

_ “Yeah.” _

“What the fuck?”

_ “My thoughts exactly.” _

“You… called it, didn’t you?”

_ “Not yet. Since it is technically addressed to you, I thought I’d be nice enough to wait for you to get home before telling them to kindly fuck off.” _

Yang lets out a small chuckle, though her concern is still at the forefront of her mind, “How nice of you.”

_ “I knew you’d think so,” _ Blake says kindly, _ “Anyway, I’ll leave you and Ruby be. Enjoy the rest of your time with her, please. Whoever Aspen is, they can wait a little longer.” _

“I’d rather not leave you home alone though.” Yang replies.

_ “I’ll be fine,” _ Blake says reassuringly, _ “You don’t see your sister as often as we both know you’d like to. Let it last a little while longer.” _

Yang glances down at her sister, and then sighs, “Yeah, yeah, you’re right.” she admits, “See you later, okay? Be safe.”

_ “Have you ever known me to be otherwise?” _

“Blake Belladonna?” Yang scoffs, “And_ careful _? I thought they were synonymous.” the blonde says sarcastically. She hears a faint scoff on the other side of the line and smiles.

_ “Ass.” _ Blake chuckles, _ “I’ll see you in a bit. Love you.” _

“Love you too.” Yang says softly, pointedly ignoring her sister's loud “_ Awww!” _at her side, “Bye.”

_ “Bye.” _

Yang hangs up, before glaring down at Ruby. The silver-eyed girl smirks right back at her unabashedly. Ruby looks like she wants to ask what the phone call was about, but decides against it. “How’s Blake been?”

“She’s been good.” Yang smiles, then catches Ruby’s eye and winks, “Just as... _ lovely _as always.”

It’s said innocently, but they both know exactly how she means it from the playfulness in her voice. “Ugh, _ gross. _ ” Ruby groans, “ _ Not _ what I meant, and I definitely didn’t need to know that either.”

“Sorry,” Yang says, though they both know she’s not, “How’s penny?”

Ruby smiles, “She’s good. She’s going to graduate from law school in about a month. She’s really excited.” the smile turns to a grin, “I’m really proud of her. She had alternative ways of learning that information- cuz you know, computer- but she decided to do it the genuine way. She’s the best. Also, Pietro’s going to visit in two weeks or so if you’d like to come over.”

It’s been a long time since they’ve all seen Pietro, and he doesn’t travel as often as he’d probably like to either because of his low aura levels. “Yeah, I’d like that.” Yang tells her, “I really should be visiting the two of you more often anyway, but it’d be nice to see Pietro again after all this time.”

“I said the same thing when Penny told me.” Ruby grins, “And you’re welcome at our house any time, you know that.”

“You’re welcome at mine as well, you know?” Yang says with a raised eyebrow, nudging her side, “Communication is a two way street, Rubes.”

Silver eyes roll, “Okay, okay, _ fine. _I’m guilty too.” she chuckles, “We’ve both been busy, I suppose.”

“I think I’ve actually seen Weiss more in the past month than I’ve seen _ you. _” Yang realizes.

“Well, that’s because you forced her into a double date with you and Blake.”

“I did not _ force _her.”

“That doesn’t seem like something Weiss would agree to.”

“Well, she _ did _ ,” Yang says stubbornly, and Ruby stares at her. “...After I told her I’d spill some embarrassing stories- but that’s _ besides the point _!”

Ruby laughs. “I knew it.”

“It’s not _ my _fault Weiss is predictable.”

“You’re so _ stupid _.”

“Thanks.” Yang jokes, “I take pride in that.”

“Oh my Gods, how does Blake put up with you?”

“I honestly don’t know.”


End file.
